Electronic apparatus having a cover which synchronously defined as a wall of a modular jack disposed thereof

ABSTRACT

An electronic apparatus includes a base portion including a first cover, a second cover perpendicular to the first cover and a receiving cavity running through the first and second covers to respectively provide a locking slot in the first cover and an opening in the second cover. The first cover defines locking portions oppositely extending from opposite faces of the locking slot.

This application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/784,499 filed on May 21, 2010.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus, and moreparticular to an electronic apparatus having a cover which issynchronously defined as a wall of a modular jack assembled thereof forminiaturization.

2. Description of the Related Art

U.S. Pat. No. 6,464,533 issued to Ma et al. on Oct. 15, 2002 discloses amodular jack including an insulative housing, a plurality of contactsretained in the housing and a shell enclosing the housing. The housingdefines a top wall, a bottom wall opposite to the top wall, twosidewalls connecting with the top 0 and bottom walls, and a matingcavity defined by the four walls commonly. The plurality of contacts isretained in the top wall and each defines an elastic contacting armprojecting into the receiving cavity. The bottom wall provides lockingportions thereof for latching with a mating connector. The modular jackis disposed at a side edge of an electronic apparatus such as a personalcomputer with the receiving cavity opened outwards for receiving themating connector therein.

However, the four walls may increase the dimension of the modular jackand the electronic apparatus having the modular jack. Obviously, anelectronic apparatus suitable for miniaturization and having anelectrical connector featured in low-profile configuration thereof ishighly desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide anelectronic apparatus having a cover which is synchronously defined as awall of a modular jack featured in low-profile configuration.

In order to achieve the object set forth, an electronic apparatusincludes a base portion including a first cover, a second coverperpendicular to the first cover and a receiving cavity running throughthe first and second covers to respectively provide a locking slot inthe first cover and an opening in the second cover. The first coverdefines locking portions oppositely extending from opposite faces of thelocking slot.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention willbecome more apparent from the following detailed description of thepresent embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electronic apparatus having anelectrical connector disposed therein and a mating connector mating withthe electrical connector;

FIG. 2 is an amplificatory portion in the circle shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the electrical connector separated fromthe electronic apparatus shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partly explode view of the electrical connector shown inFIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the electronic apparatus in accordancewith a second embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is an amplificatory portion in the circle shown in FIG. 5,showing a cover board remained at an opened position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made to the drawing figures to describe preferredembodiments of the present invention in detail.

FIG. 1 to FIG. 4 discloses a first embodiment of the present invention.Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an electronic apparatus such as a personalcomputer in the first embodiment includes a base portion 1 and a display2 rotatablely retained to the base portion 1. The base portion 1includes a first cover 11, a bottom cover 12 opposite to the first cover11, two second covers 13 connecting with the first and bottom covers 11,12, a printed circuit board (PCB) which retains electronic componentsthereon and is disposed in a receiving space provided by the covers 11,12, 13, and an electrical connector 3 disposed at a side edge of thebase portion 1. The second cover 13 defines a sidewall 132 perpendicularto the first cover 11 and an arc-shaped connecting wall 102 connectingwith the first cover 11 and the sidewall 132.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the base portion 1 defines a receivingcavity 101 disposed at a side edge thereof and opened sideward to runthrough the sidewall 132 and upwards to run through the first cover 11.A side opening 130 is provided in the sidewall 132 and a locking slot110 is provided in the first cover 11. The opening 130 further extendsupwards to run through the connecting wall 102 and provide a passageway131 at the connecting wall 102. The passageway 131 has a smaller widthas compared to that of the opening 130, and the connecting wall 102defines a pair of protrusions 103 oppositely projecting into thepassageway 131 at a top portion thereof. The first cover 11 defines apair of locking portions 112 extending oppositely from two opposite facedisposed in the locking slot 110 and each abutting against acorresponding protrusion 103 of the connecting wall 102.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the electrical connector 3 is mounted ontothe PCB and includes an insulative housing 31, a plurality of contacts 4retained in the housing and a shell 32 enclosing the housing. Thehousing 31 defines a first wall 3111, a second wall 3112 perpendicularto the first wall 3111, two sidewalls 312 connecting with the first andsecond sidewalls 3111, 3112. A receiving room 310 opened upwards andsideward is provided by the first wall 3111, the second wall 3112 andthe sidewalls 312 commonly. The plurality of contacts 4 is retained inthe first wall 3111 and each defines an elastic contacting portion 41projecting into the receiving room 310, the contacting portions 41extend to the locking slot 110 and are angled with the first wall 3111.The shell 32 defines a bottom piece 321 and a pair of side pieces 322bending upwards from two edge of the bottom piece 321, the shell 32encloses the housing 31 with the bottom piece enclosing the first wall3111 and the side pieces 322 enclosing the sidewalls 3112.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the electrical connector 3 is mounted ontothe PCB disposed in the base portion 1 and received in the receivingcavity 101 with the mating face 33 facing to the opening 130. Thelocking slot 110 and the locking portions 112 of the first cover 11 aredisposed over the receiving room 310, and the locking slot 110communicates with the receiving room 310 and the opening 130. A matingcavity 100 is provided by the first and second covers 11, 13 of theelectronic apparatus and the first wall 3111 and the sidewalls 3112 ofthe electrical connector 3 commonly, the opening 130 is provided as amating opening of the mating cavity 100. When a mating connector P isinserted into the mating cavity 100 from the opening 130 to mate withthe electrical connector 3, the latching arm P1 runs through thepassageway 131 and into the latching slot 110, and the latching portions112 may interconnect to the latching faces P2 of the latching arms P1 toretain the mating connector P in the mating cavity 100 securely. Theprotrusions 103 can block the locking portions 112 to reinforce therigidity of the locking portions 112. The first cover 11 of theelectronic apparatus having latching slot 110 and the latching portions112 are jointly defined as a wall of the electrical connector 3, so thata wall opposite to the first wall 3111 of the electrical connector 3 forlatching with a mating connector as disclosed in a conventional modularjack is omitted, which can reduce the height and cost of the electricalconnector 3. The first cover 11 of the electronic apparatus issynchronously defined as a wall of the electrical connector 3, whichbenefits the miniaturization of the electronic apparatus.

FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 disclose a second embodiment of the present invention.The electrical connector in this embodiment has similar configuration asthat in the first embodiment and is received in a receiving cavity 120disposed at a side edge of the base portion 1. The first cover 11defines an L-shaped cover board 5 rotatablely retained in the receivingcavity 120. The cover board 5 defines a flat body portion 50, a pair ofblocking portions 51 extending perpendicularly to the body portion 50from two sides of the body portion 50 and a passageway 52 disposedbetween the two blocking portions 51. A mating cavity 100 is provided bythe cover board 5, the first wall 3111 and the sidewalls 3112 commonlywhen the cover board 5 rotated to remain at an opened position, and theopening 130 is defined as a mating opening of the mating cavity 100. Theblocking portions 51 can lock with a mating connector to retain themating connector in the mating cavity 100 steadily. The cover board 5 ofthe first cover 11 is also provided as a wall of the electricalconnector 3 for latching with a mating connector, which can reduce theheight of the electrical connector 3. The first cover 11 of theelectronic apparatus is synchronously defined as a wall of theelectrical connector 3, which also benefits the miniaturization of theelectronic apparatus.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerouscharacteristics and advantages of the present invention have been setforth in the foregoing description, together with details of thestructure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrativeonly, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape,size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention tothe full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms inwhich the appended claims are expressed.

1. A low profile modular jack for use with a corresponding plug equippedwith a deflectable latch thereof, comprising: an insulative housingdefining a mating surface and a mating cavity neighboring the matingsurface for receiving said plug, the insulative housing having a bottomwall facing the mating cavity and defined a plurality of terminalgrooves thereon; a plurality of contacts retained in the terminalgrooves, each of said contacts including a contacting section obliquelyand backwardly extending from a position adjacent to a front edge ofsaid mating cavity, and a soldering section straightly and upwardlyextending from a position adjacent to a rear edge of said mating cavity;wherein said lower profile modular jack is not independently equippedwith any locking portions for latchable engagement with the plug butadapted for cooperating with a cover of an electronic device having alocking slot therein for commonly retaining the plug in said matingspace during mating with the plug.
 2. The low profile modular jack asdescribed in claim 1, wherein the mating cavity extends rearwardly alonga mating direction and terminates at a rear wall which extends upwardlyfrom the bottom wall.
 3. The low profile modular jack as described inclaim 2, wherein a plurality of spaced passageways are defined on therear wall and extend along a vertical direction perpendicular to themating direction for receiving distal end of the contacting sections. 4.The low profile modular jack as described in claim 2, wherein thecontacting sections of the contacts extend toward the rear wall, whilethe soldering sections of the contacts are located behind the rear wall.5. The low profile modular jack as described in claim 2, wherein heightof the rear wall is lower than that of the mating cavity.
 6. The lowprofile modular jack as described in claim 1, wherein a metallic shellis provided to attach on the bottom wall, said soldering sections of thecontacts define a mounting surface above said metallic shell.
 7. The lowprofile modular jack as described in claim 6, wherein said metallicshell only surrounds part of the insulative housing and forms aplurality of mounting legs hanging at opposite sides of the matingcavity.
 8. An open-faced modular jack adapted for cooperating with aseparately formed cover having a locking section therein for commonlyretaining a mating plug in a mating space defined by the modular jackand the cover during mating with the plug, comprising: an insulativehousing having a bottom wall and a pair of side walls extending upwardlyfrom the bottom wall so as to define a receiving cavity without aceiling thereof, a plurality of terminal grooves being defined on thebottom wall and extending along a mating direction; a plurality ofcontacts retained in the terminal grooves, each of said contactsincluding a contacting section obliquely and backwardly extending from aposition adjacent to a front edge of said receiving cavity, and asoldering section extending upwardly from the bottom wall and projectingtoward an open side of the receiving cavity so as to reduce a height ofthe modular jack when the modular jack is mounted onto a printed circuitboard; wherein the receiving cavity is only part of the mating space. 9.The open-faced modular jack as described in claim 8, wherein a rear endof the bottom wall does not form part of the receiving cavity, but actsa positioning section for positioning the soldering sections.
 10. Theopen-faced modular jack as described in claim 9, wherein a pair ofblocks are formed at opposite sides of said positioning section, betweenwhich said soldering sections are arranged.
 11. The open-faced modularjack as described in claim 9, wherein a metallic shell is provided toattach on the bottom wall and surround only part of the insulativehousing.
 12. The open-faced modular jack as described in claim 11,wherein height of the metallic shell is lower than that of the pair ofside walls.
 13. The open-faced modular jack as described in claim 8,wherein a rear wall is provided to connect with the pair of side walls,said contacting sections and soldering sections are located at oppositesides of the rear wall.
 14. The open-faced modular jack as described inclaim 13, wherein a plurality of limiting channels are defined on therear wall for receiving tips of said contacting sections.
 15. Theopen-faced modular jack as described in claim 9, wherein the cover isrotatably assembled on the modular jack.
 16. The open-faced modular jackas described in claim 9, wherein the cover is part of an electronicdevice.
 17. An open faced modular jack assembly comprising: a case of acomputer defining an opening in an upper half of a side wall thereof andextending through a top wall in a vertical direction around acorresponding corner; a module jack disposed in the case and intimatelylocated behind the opening, said module jack defining an insulativehousing in a stationary manner with a mating port communicating with anexterior through the opening in a horizontal direction perpendicular tothe vertical direction, a plurality of terminals associated with thehousing with resilient contacting sections exposed in the mating port;and a cover up and down assembled around the opening and moveablerelative to the housing to cover the opening when no plug is received inthe mating port under condition that a side plate of the cover islocated in front of the housing in the horizontal direction, while toexpose the mating port for allowing the plug to be inserted into themating port in the horizontal direction; wherein only the cover isequipped with a locking structure for locking the plug to the matingport while the housing is not.
 18. The open faced module jack assemblyas claimed in claim 17, wherein a metallic shell enclosing one side ofthe housing opposite to the mating port in the vertical direction. 19.The open faced module jack assembly as claimed in claim 17, wherein thehousing defines a step structure for being seated upon a printed circuitboard.
 20. The open faces module jack assembly as claimed in claim 19,wherein said step structure faces upward in the vertical direction andcontacting tails of the corresponding contacts extend upwardly in thevertical direction.